As most new moms know, having a baby and adjusting to postpartum life can be exhausting. You might have a newborn waking up every 3 hours, and then find yourself spending the rest of the night staring at the ceiling feeling “wired but tired” and thinking of all the things you need to do when you get up in the morning. While you probably can’t stop your baby from waking up every few hours, there are some simple changes you can make to sleep better, have more consistent energy, and therefore be able to better enjoy each day.

(check out my free energy guide for more practical tips on how to get energy postpartum)

Causes of Low Energy

Hormones

Hormonal changes associated with pregnancy can be one huge cause of fatigue. Cortisol, sometimes known as the “stress hormone,” and adrenaline are elevated during and immediately after childbirth. Giving birth and transitioning into motherhood can be stressful events, so this makes sense! Cortisol and adrenaline levels should begin to return to normal during the postpartum period, but inadequate sleep and nutrition can cause them to remain elevated. Elevated cortisol then makes it harder to sleep by altering the way the body makes melatonin, causing the “wired but tired” feeling. 

Estrogen and progesterone, as well as thyroid hormone, also drop after giving birth. Delayed return to normal thyroid function and the drops in estrogen and progesterone tend to be more associated with mood swings and postpartum depression, but fatigue can surely be a contributing factor to these mood-related changes. 

Nutrition

In many cases, inadequate nutrition is a major contributor to fatigue. For example, the B vitamins all play vital roles in the processes that the body uses to break down food and produce energy. Vitamins B6, B12, and folate are especially important. Not having enough of these vitamins can impair your red blood cells’ ability to get oxygen to your cells, which is a crucial part of how almost all cells in the body produce energy. Red blood cells also need iron to function, and iron absorption is improved significantly by Vitamin C, so iron and Vitamin C deficiencies can also be huge contributors to fatigue. 

Additionally, minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium all have roles in helping the nervous system and brain pass on information quickly and effectively. Not having enough of these minerals can cause a feeling of brain fog and fatigue. 

Sleep Disruption

As almost any new mom can attest, it is nearly impossible to get a full night’s rest with an infant. Infants tend to have irregular sleep patterns and often wake during the night. This sleep disruption definitely contributes to fatigue felt by many new moms. However, feelings of fatigue actually tend to be more associated with the quality of sleep than the quantity of sleep. As we said earlier, elevated cortisol makes it harder to sleep. Worry and stress about your newborn, might play a role. 

Supporting Sustainable Energy

Here are some habits you can work on to support steady energy throughout the day.

Nutrition

Focus on meeting your needs for the nutrients mentioned above. Vitamin B12 can be found in meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Iron can also be found in poultry, fish, and eggs, and pairing it with a vitamin C source like bell peppers or an orange can help your body get even more out of your iron sources. You can find folate in dark leafy greens, like spinach, and in legumes, like chickpeas and beans. 

Making sure that you are getting enough minerals is also really important. A daily mineral mocktail is a delicious and effective way to get in more minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium. Ingredients like cream of tartar, coconut milk, and sea salt contain these minerals and more. Check out this mineral guide for more information and some recipes.

Overall, try to incorporate protein at each meal to keep your blood sugar–and therefore your energy–steady throughout the day. Sugar and simple carbohydrates  might give you an energy spike, but it will probably make your energy crash later. Pairing carbohydrate sources with protein sources is a great way to balance that and keep your energy even keel. 

Sleep Quality

While having a newborn may make it nearly impossible to get a good, full night’s sleep, doing what you can to get good quality sleep can do wonders for your energy levels. Eating breakfast and eating at regular mealtimes is associated with better sleep quality, so creating a routine meal schedule could be one way to improve sleep quality.

Screen time habits can also have a huge impact on sleep quality. Reducing screen time in general, but specifically before bed, can help decrease cortisol and allow your body to better relax. Finding something like reading a book or journaling that will help you unwind might help you ultimately fall asleep more quickly.  

Try implementing one of these strategies a week and see how your energy levels can improve. By giving your body the love and support it needs, you can find steady, lasting energy during life with a newborn.

Need more help for your specific needs?

We are here for you, offering one-on-one functional nutrition coaching! We can get labs to test for iron, thyroid, and B-vitamin levels, and chat about how your energy levels are being impacted to ensure that you’re getting exactly what you need. Click here for more information!